Aurora GOP mayoral candidate Ryan Frazier is set to hold a reception fundraiser with national political commentator and author Dick Morris later this month.

The fundraiser coincides with Morris’ visit to Denver for the Centennial Institute’s Western Conservative Summit 2011 in Denver.

Morris was a longtime conservative adviser to former President Bill Clinton, but his role with the White House ended in controversy when it was revealed he had an ongoing liaison with a prostitute. He now has a syndicated column with the New York Post and is a regular contributor on Fox News.

In 2010, Fraizer, who is an Aurora City Council member, ran a failed attempt at a U.S. House seat to Ed Perlmutter. The fundraiser will be held in Littleton, and tickets range from $50-$150.

Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall lauded a deficit-reduction plan set forth by a bipartisan coalition of senators known as the “gang of six” after they, along with about 50 senators, were briefed on it this afternoon in Washington.

“In town halls across our state, Coloradans tell me they want a plan that materially reduces the deficit, shows we are all in it together and is bipartisan,” Bennet said in a statement. “The plan should also reassure the capital markets that the paper they’ve bought is worth what they paid for it and is not at risk.”

Bennet says the “gang of six plan” meets those broad goals and would reduce the country’s deficit by close to $4 trillion.

Realistically the plan aims to cut $3.7 trillion over 10 years, by raising roughly $1 trillion in new revenue. Moreover, the plan is based on the bipartisan recommendations of the Erskin Bowles and Alan Simpson commission (also bipartisan) on reducing deficit reduction, which was released last fall.

“From the beginning, I’ve said that it is imperative that we work together on a plan to reduce our mounting debt while meeting our nation’s obligation to pay its bill,” said Udall in a statement. “Now more than ever, Republicans and Democrats have to come together to find a balanced, bipartisan proposal that ensures our budget isn’t balanced solely on the backs of middle-class families.”

President Obama, who for weeks has urged Congress to come up with a plan before the Aug. 2 deadline where the United States would default on its debts, praised the plan calling it a “significant step.”

Read more in tomorrow’s Denver Post about Bennet and Udall’s thoughts on the “gang of six.”

For the second time in less than a year, political consultant Sean Walsh is taking on Ryan Frazier but Walsh said it’s “just business, nothing personal.”

Last year, Walsh was the campaign manager for Lang Sias, who lost the GOP primary in the 7th Congressional District to Frazier, an Aurora city councilman. This year, Walsh is the general consultant for Aurora mayoral candidate Steve Hogan. One of Hogan’s opponents is Frazier.

During Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s inauguration on Monday, Walsh was walking to his seat.

“I hear this guy say, ‘Hey, Sean,’ and I turned around and it was Ryan. He complimented me on my new glasses,” Walsh said. “I respect the guy. He’s very nice. It just turns out that in the space of one year we’ve been on opposite sides. It’s nothing personal. It’s just business.”

DRAW THIS: A Republican-drawn map that Democrats worry could give the GOP control of the state House for the next decade was tentatively approved Monday by a commission drawing district boundaries for the Denver area. Read about it in The Denver Post.

AND THIS: Most of the city of Longmont that lies within Boulder County — along with some unincorporated Boulder County areas immediately west and north of the city — would be fitted into its own House District 11, under the preliminary map, The Longmont Times-Call reports.

WE ARE ALL DENVER: The Denver City Council’s first openly gay lawmaker took the oath of office Monday, as did the new clerk and recorder, who also is gay. OutFront Colorado looks at the historic day.

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE: Colorado State University emeritus atmospheric science professor William Gray and the “dean” of climate change skeptics, Fred Singer, spoke to a sometimes unruly and tense audience in a packed CSU auditorium Monday in attempts to convince them that most climate science is “hokum” and “bunk,” the Fort Collins Coloradoan writes.

MUY MALO, PRESIDENTE: Colorado Springs is one of nine Hispanic markets where a conservative group is hammering President Obama in Spanish language ads, Politico says.

I TOLD YOU I WAS SICK: The El Paso County clerk reports that Colorado Springs is one of 18 entities that, as of Monday, had reserved a spot on the Nov. 1 ballot, but it will be another month before it’s known whether voters will decide the fate of city-owned Memorial Health System, according to the Gazette.

CD 3 SMACKDOWN: U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton held the lead in the fundraising race for the 2012 election, but challenger Sal Pace stayed close behind despite being in the race for just a month, the Durango Herald reports.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.